Embossing machine



Dec. 27, 1938. w. R. SIEBERT EMBOSSING MACHINE Filed Jan. 14, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet 1 William 7?. Siehert.

ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1938. w. R. SIEBERT EMBOSSING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed Jan. 14, 1957 65m QN m Q Q wizzm 'izszeberz BY vmyzmil d.

ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMBOSSINGMAcnmE Application January 14, 1937', Serial No. 120,581

4 Claims. (01. 19'l6.2)

The present invention relates to embossing or printing machines adaptedfor manual operation to emboss a series of characters or other indiciaon a strip of material constituting a name plate or the like.

The invention has for its general object the provision of a single andrugged machine capable of impressing a series of letters, numerals orother characters on a name plate or similar sign in a neat and orderlymanner, the machine being so arranged as to afford convenient variationof the characters in a required series at the will of the operator.

. A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter indicated including a carriage for the retention of the stripof material to be impressed and automatic feeder means associated withthe carriage to advance the work simultaneously with the actuation ofone of the impressing dies, the work being moved a. distancecorresponding to the spacing required for the particular character beingimpressed The invention will be fully and comprehensively understoodfrom a. consideration of the following detailed description when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings which form part of theapplication.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the entire machine illustrating same inuse during the process of embossing a series of characters on a nameplate.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the machine partlybroken away in section to illustrate the supporting means for a seriesof character forming dies and the feeder mechanism for advancing thework; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken 0 the staggered line 33 ofFig. 2.

Briefly stated the invention resides in providing an embossing machinecomprising a base and frame, a die holder having slidably mountedtherein a series of character forming dies, the die holder being endwiseslidable so as to facilitate the placement of one of the dies inoperating position below a plunger for actuating the die, the machinealso including a carriage for retention of the work and means foradvancing the carriage simultaneously'with the actuation of thecharacter forming-die so as to space the characters on the workconsistent with the width of the character.

Reference is now had to the accompanying drawings for a more detaileddescription thereof in which the numeral 4 indicates a, suitable basehaving superimposed thereon a frame 5. Onto the frame 5 is slidablymounted for endwise movement a die holder 6 disposed in a groove 1formed in the frame 5 and retained therein by slide plates 8 engagingopposed shoulders on the die holder 6. The frame 5 also provides amounting for a. slidable plunger 9 held in normally raised position by asuitable spring Ill. The plunger 9 is mounted for vertical movementrelative to the die holder 6 and is actuated by a lever ll pivoted onthe frame 5 at I! and presenting adjacent the pivotal end a suitable caml3.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 2 the die holder 6 retains a seriesof character forming dies [4, each of which is urged to elevatedposition by a suitable spring l5. Each of the dies II has formed at itslower end character forming ar impressing surfaces. From the foregoingit will be noted that by swinging the lever ll downwardly that theplunger 9 is forced against the pressure of the spring l0 so that itslower end engages with one of the dies l4 thereby urging the mentioneddie against the work.

It will also be noted that the manner of mounting the die holder 6 inthe frame 5 permits of positioning any one of the dies l4 below theactuating plunger 9 by merely sliding the die holder to the desiredposition, the same being readily determined by use of the indicator 35,shown in Fig. l. The accurate alignment of each of the dies H with theplunger 9 is readily effected by the operation of a ball catch l6 backedby a spring I! to urge the ball catch into one of a. series of recessesin the die holder 6, the recesses being spaced a distance correspondingto the spacing of the various dies l4. Preferably the ball catch I6 isdisposed to engage one of the slideways in which the dies M areretained.

The machine is particularly adapted for embossing or impressing a Yseries of letters or numerals on a suitable strip of material l8embodying, for example, a name plate. During the process of embossingthe desired characters on the strip l8, same is suitably retained on acarriage l9 as by being disposed in a groove 20 formed therein. Thecarriage I9 is endwise slidable, being mounted in a suitable slideway 2|formed in the base 4 so that the strip l8 may be progressively advancedrelative to the die [4 to be lowered. The carriage I9 is automaticallyadvanced during the lowering of one of the dies ll by the actuation of afeeder mechanism 22. The carriage l9, being elongate, has formed thereona gear rack 23 in mesh with a gear 24 forming part of the feedermechanism 22. A spring backed feeder rod 25 has its upper end disposedfor engagement by one of a series of pins 26 projecting from each of thedies l4. Alink 21 is flexibly connected to the feeder rod at one end andhas its opposite end engaged with a ratchet lever 28 swingably mountedon a shaft 29. The ratchet lever 28 carries a spring backed pawl adaptedto engage the teeth of a ratchet wheel II. The ratchet wheel 3i and thegear 24 are secured together and are preferably carried on the shaft 29.p

The feeder mechanism 22 functions to convey the. carriage IS apredetermined distance equivalent to the spacing of a character and isactuated coactively with the depressing of one of the dies ll. As a dieII is lowered by operation of the lever, the pin 26 thereon, engagingthe rod 25, compresses the spring surrounding the feeder rod 25 and setsthe feed mechanism for operation under the influence of said springwhereby, as the die returns upwardly to its idle position aftereffecting the impression upon the work piece, the spring causes thelever 26 to turn, thereby moving the ratchet wheel 3| and advancing theplate I! through engagement of the gear 24 with the toothed rack 23. Itwill be observed that the spacing for the various characters differs andthat therefore the advancement of the worksupporting carriage I9 is tobe varied correspondingly. This is accomplished by positioning the pins26 at the proper elevation on the respective dies ll so that the feederrod 25 is depressed such a distance as will be necessary to advance thecarriage IS the desired amount. In this connection it will be noted thatthe pitch of the teeth comprising the ratchet wheel 3| representscertain increments of the maximum character spacing. For example, thecharacter w requires the maximum spacing and therefore the pin 26 of thew die is positioned low enough thereon so that upon engagement with thefeeder rod 25 the ratchet wheel 3| is rotated the maximum number ofteeth, four for example. Similarly the character i, requiring theminimum space has its pin 26 elevated on the die H so that the feederrod 26 is depressed to turn the ratchet wheel 3| a distancecorresponding to two teeth thereon. correspondingly the gear 24, in eachcase, is rotated a'corresponding angular distance and the carriage I9 isthus advanced a spacing consistent with the particular character to beimpressed.

During the process of embossing a series of letters, numerals or othercharacters on the strip of material l6, the carriage l9 progressesintermittently from right to left position. At the completion of thework the carriage i9 assumes a position substantially to the left of themachine. It will, therefore, be noted that to emboss a second strip l8the carriage 19 has to be reset to the right-hand position which isaccomplished by a release rod 32 journalled in the frame I and havingits end flexibly connected to the pawl 30. Thus, by tensioning the rod32, the pawl 30 will be raised free of the ratchet wheel 3| and thecarriage l9 may be pushed to the extreme right, after which the rod 32is released and the machine is ready for embossing a new strip.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the embossing machine embodyingthe invention affords convenient and efficient means for impressing aseries of characters on a strip of material l8. In that the variouscharacter forming dies II are carried in a common die holder 6, each diemay be readily positioned in alignment with the actuating plunger 9 bymerely sliding the die fined to the exact showing of the drawings nor tothe precise construction described and, therefore, such changes andmodifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of theinvention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A machine of the character described comprising in combination, asupporting frame, a die holder movably mounted in said frame and havinga series of bores therein, a plurality of character forming diesslidably carried in said bores, a friction catch on said frame yieldablyengaging one of said bores to position said die holder, a plungerslidable in said frame and adapted to engage one of said dies to actuatethe same, a work supporting carriage movably retained on said frame, andfeeder means actuated by movement of one of said dies to intermittentlyadvance said carriage.

2. A machine of the character described comprising in combination, asupporting frame, a die holder slidably retained for endwise movement insaid frame, a series of character forming dies slidably retained inopenings in said die holder, a spring pressed friction catch mounted insaid supporting frame engageable with the openings in said die holderwherein the dies are positioned, a plunger slidable in said frame andadapted to engage one of said series of dies to actuate the same, a camlever pivoted on said frame for operating said plunger, a worksupporting carriage slidably retained for longitudinal movement on saidframe, and feeder means actuated by movement of one of said dies tointermittently advance said carriage.

3. A machine of the character described comprising in combination, asupporting frame, a die holder movably mounted in said frame, a seriesof character forming dies slidably retained in openings in said dieholder, a plunger slidable in said frame and adapted to engage one ofsaid series of dies to actuate same, a friction catch mounted in saidframe engageable with the openings wherein the dies are retained wherebyalignment of plunger and die is at least largely facilitated, said catchcomprising a spring pressed substantially spherical member alignablewith said openings, a work supporting carriage movably retained on saidframe, and feeder means actuated by movement of one of said dies tointermittently advance said carriage, said feeder means comprising arack on said carriage, a rotatable gear in mesh with said rack and meansactuated by one of said dies for intermittently rotating said gear.

4. A machine of the character described comprising in combination, asupporting frame, a die holder movably mounted in said frame, a seriesof character forming dies slidably retained in openings in said dieholder, a plunger slidable in said frame and adapted to engage one ofsaid series of dies to actuate the same, a friction catchmounted in saidframe engageable with the openings whereby the dies are retained wherebyalignment of plunger and dies is at least largely facilitated, saidcatch comprising a spring pressed substantially spherical memberalignable with said openings, a work supporting carriage movablyretained on said frame, and feeder means intermittently actuated by oneof said dies to advance said carriage, said feeder means comprising arack on said carriage, a gear mounted in said frame in mesh with saidrack, a pawl and ratchet wheel mechanism associated with said WILLIAM R.SIEBERT.

